5 Ways to Make Your Wardrobe Last Through Pregnancy

Newly pregnant and ready to put away your regular wardrobe? Not so fast – you might be surprised at how far your regular wardrobe can take you. No doubt your body will change a fair bit. Not only will you grow a belly, but you’ll probably go up a few sizes overall. It’s impossible to predict how much weight you gain, it seems that a natural predilection to gain weight under normal circumstances has not much to do with weight gain during pregnancy. But that does not mean you’ll need a completely new wardrobe – a good look at your current wardrobe can reveal garments that will last you a good while longer than the first trimester. In general, look for pieces that are not too fitted. Knit garments are great, but woven tops or dresses can work too if they have a bit of ease. There are also garments that can just be worn in a slightly different way to make them fit. Below we’ve listed 5 ways to make your wardrobe last through pregnancy.

1. Unbutton or knot your shirt

After all the work you’ve put into sewing a button-down, how great that you can keep wearing it through your pregnancy? You just need to style it a little different. Wear it open over a dress or cute tank, or knot it just over your belly.

2. Wear Crop Tops

Crop tops are perfect to show off a growing belly. Wearing a long top underneath gives you the opportunity to colour block or create a layered look. (We have a selection of cropped tops in our shop like the Citron Twist Shrug, Roksi Trio, and Ultraviolet Maternity Tee). They’re also great for nursing after baby’s arrival!)

3. Belt it

Oversized tops or dresses can really take you far. The front might ride up a little so it should not be too short to begin with. If you add a belt at empire height you’ll instantly turn it from sack to cute dress.

4. Wear jackets open

If you work at an office or otherwise need a formal dresscode, jackets are your friend. And you can still wear them – just unbuttoned. This way they leave you room to grow in both chest and belly area, and you’ll still look put together.

5. Knot your T-shirt

Even your favorite Tee does not have to be put away just yet. Make a knot at the front over your belly and voilà, another garment that looks like you bought it for maternity.

Have you found more garments in your closet that just need some creativity to make them last? Please share them in the comments!

Lisa is one of the co-founders of Maternity Sewing. She loves clothes with comfort at their core with design elements that make her feel unique and edgy. Besides Maternity Sewing, she designs and publish patterns as Paprika Patterns. She also has an Etsy shop called DIYpads with patterns for cloth menstrual pads.

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Size

Each pattern designer uses her own pattern block and size chart. Each pattern’s size chart is included in the product listing so you can ensure that the pattern will fit your body. Most designers suggest that you pick a size based on your pre-pregnancy measurements (especially for “maternity specific” patterns) and account for an average pregnancy weight gain in their finished patterns. If you are on track to gain significantly more or significantly less than average then you may want to select a larger or smaller size accordingly. “Maternity friendly” patterns may not account for a pregnancy weight gain and so you will probably get the best fit from going up 1-2 sizes.

To make it easier to browse for patterns that include your size, we have annotated all patterns as to how they best fit on the above size chart. So if you wear a size 18 on the chart above then patterns marked as including size 18 will have a size with similar measurements included in the pattern. Again, each designer uses her own size chart so it may not include the exact measurements. Note that the size chart uses high bust NOT full bust for size selection. This accounts for the fact that different patterns are designed with different cup sizes.

Cup Size

Cup size is typically measured as the difference between your high bust and your full bust. A = 1″ difference, B = 2″, C = 3″, D = 4″, E = 5″, F+ = 6″ or more. It is likely to be similar to your bra size. Because each person’s body has its own unique shape, for perfect fit you may still need to adjust a pattern even if it is the “correct” cup size to start.
During pregnancy, your breasts are likely to grow and you will probably find yourself 1 to 3 cup sizes larger than before pregnancy, depending on how much weight you gain and how your own unique body changes with weight gain and hormones.

Pattern Suitability

Early/Post Maternity: In the first trimester your belly may not look any different but you may feel bloated and find fitted garments, particularly waistbands, to be uncomfortable. You may find that your bust is already noticeably larger. In your second trimester your belly will really start to grow. In your fourth trimester (post-partum) you will still have a round belly but are likely to want to camouflage instead of show off your curvy belly. Garments that cling to the belly or garments with excessive gathering at the belly are not well suited for this reason. Maternity Sewing stocks a variety of patterns that may not have been designed as maternity patterns but are well suited for wear during the first, second, and fourth trimesters.Late Maternity: Maybe in your second and likely in your third trimester your belly is large enough that you can no longer wear non-maternity garments. Garments in this category have specific shaping meant to accommodate the largest pregnant bellies. These garments may not fit or flatter on a body without a large pregnant belly.Designed for Nursing means that the garment is specifically designed for nursing. This may mean nursing clips on the front of straps, extra moveable panels across the bust, or strategic garment openings. Note that you may still find nursing to be easy in a variety of garments that are not specifically designed to be nursing garments but only garments with specific nursing modifications are included in this category.

Difficulty

We have asked designers to rank the difficulty of their patterns as suited for beginner, intermediate, or advanced sewists.

Height

While most patterns are drafted for an average height, some are specifically drafted for short/petite women or tall women. Additionally, some patterns include multiple pattern pieces drafted separately for multiple heights. Note that average patterns may include shorten/lengthen lines on the pattern to simplify adjusting the pattern for different heights however these will only appear under “average” search terms.

Waistline

In garments with a waistline (especially skirts and pants), the waist of the garment can tuck under the pregnant belly or it can cover the belly. You may find that under-belly garments are easier to wear during early pregnancy and postpartum however many women prefer over-belly waistlines during mid- and late-pregnancy as a snug waistband can be uncomfortable at the under-belly.

Printing Options

Since all patterns on MaternitySewing are digital at this point in time, you must print your own patterns after purchase. Printing can either be done on your home printer (either 8.5″x11″ or A4) or on a large format printer at a copy shop (wide format or A0). Many patterns include both options.

We know that we are lucky. There was no doubt for either of us that we would have ready access to maternal healthcare while we were pregnant. Unfortunately, that isn’t true for so many women in our world. We pledge to donate 5% of our profits to the non-profit Every Mother Counts. They work with agencies around the world to improve maternal medical access.

Give thanks for your access to healthcare while pregnant by making a donation. We will pass the full amount to Every Mother Counts to help bring maternal healthcare to women around the world.

You can use the suggested roundup amount that rounds your purchase up to an even $10 amount or enter whatever donation amount you would like.